Connecting passion to action for making the world a better place

Anyone who has kids at school or is involved with any sort of charity group will know that there is a constant stream of demands for items to use as raffle prizes or to sell to raise funds for the group. Schools are charities are finding their funds ever squeezed in the current economic climate, so it is important to know what sells well and what takes minimum effort to produce.

Baking

Bake sales are an eternal favourite as a way of raising funds but the thought of baking from scratch strikes fear into the heart of many. Baking for a bake sale doesn’t have to be complex as often the best sellers are the simpler types of products like scones, fairy cakes or chocolate crispie cakes. If baking for a school, get the kids involved in the preparation of the cakes, but make sure they don’t eat all of the profits at the same time. Presentation makes a huge difference as to how well the items sell, so take time to put your finished items into little plastic presentation bags and secure them with colourful ribbon or string. Whatever you choose to make for selling, avoid nuts as many schools have strict nut free policies to cater for children will allergies.

Handcrafts

If you’re crafty, knitting, crocheting or sewing items to sell can be a great money spinner. Smaller items like scarves or gloves sell better than larger sweaters or blankets, and can be made relatively quickly too. Try using fancy yarns such as the Rico Can Can yarn which knits up into a frilled, professional-looking finish. Consider asking local yarn shops if they are prepared to part with odd balls of Rico Can Can or other similar yarns which will be used to raise funds for local charities as this can cut the cost of making the items.

Toys, Books or Games

News that the school is holding a sale is music to the ears of many parents as it gives the opportunity to have a clear out of junk. Only donate items which you would be prepared to buy yourself, so make sure all jigsaws are complete, books don’t have ripped pages and that the instructions are with the games before handing them in. Get your children involved in deciding what to donate, with the promise that they can buy something with their pocket money when the sale comes around.

Clothing

More and more groups are adding good quality, second hand clothing into their fundraising efforts, and the key to making money from this is correct pricing. Rather than having a policy of charging a flat fee for everything, stagger prices so that you are charging considerably more for a Monsoon party dress, and less for a t-shirt from a supermarket’s range. Have somewhere set up so that parents can try clothing on their children and if the fundraising is for a school, have a separate section for second hand items of school uniform such as blazers, sweatshirts and jackets.

We all want to give a little back to the world. For many of us, charity is a part of our lives. We give regularly, or volunteer our time. Or even simply spread the word via social media of causes we believe in and want to assist.

Thanks to the web and mobile technology, it has never been easier to help charities with their work. Sites like The Hunger Site even allow you to give for free using their sponsorship program. Just a click a day will give food to the hungry around the world, free mammograms to women in need, help animal shelters take care of their wards, provide hot meals for veterans, give to autism research and therapy, pay for child healthcare, give books to at risk kids and save the rainforest.

For those of you who like to help on the go, here are five must-have mobile apps for the busy philanthropist (don't miss this iPhone apps guide to better understand how to choose and install the apps ). .

Are you a fitness buff who loves to bike, walk or run? Perhaps you want more of a reason to start doing any of the three? Now you can earn money for charity through your own fitness goals. Just download this app, select your cause and get going. Bikers get $0.10 per mile, and runners and walkers get $0.25. They support causes like Autism Speaks, the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's research and The Nature Conservancy. The money is pulled from a corporate pull of $1,000,000 per round. Your workouts decide the cash's destination!

The Children's Miracle Network, Africare, National Adoption Center, American Human Society...there are so many worthy causes out there. You can now learn about them through this app. But more than that, you can donate, spread awareness and contact those agencies. Everything is simple and concise to make it easier than ever.

Have you ever wished you could give to a charity using your mobile phone? After Haiti, many people wished this and organizations began making it easier to do so. Such as through text giving. However, this makes it even more simple. All you have to do is find the listed cause, tap the Donate button and give the dollar amount. That will then be deducted from your prepaid balance, or added to your monthly bill...it is that easy! The only complaint I have is the lack of choice in charities. You have many for relief work, which is wonderful. But it doesn't have many for human rights causes, such as gay or women's rights organizations, as a user pointed out in the reviews.

Are you an organ donor? Do you not know for sure? You can now become one using this handy app. You put in your location and it will direct you to the nearest organization that handles organ donation enrollment. Just this simple act can save many lives, and help the many who currently wait for an organ on the donations list.

It isn't all about giving money. The most valuable thing a person can give is their time. Match yourself up to the best volunteer opportunities for you, using this excellent app. Search our your location, specify what opportunities you are looking for, put in your skills, search by age and give dates. You will then find the best volunteer organizations nearby.

You can look fabulous, feel good and help others all in one go. It is all thanks to the different chariity projects that have been launched within the beauty and wellness industry, raising hundreds of millions of dollars for non-profits and humanitarian efforts of all kinds. Usually with the help of big brands and celebrities that are dedicated to the same cause you are.

These four websites offer you ways to help give back, doing what you would normally do. Who doesn't love that?

Based on lifecell-anti-aging.com, since their 2005 launch, Charity Buzz has raised millions...$60 million, actually. They are a bidding site that allows their bidders to 'live their dreams' while giving to more than 1000 different non-profits that are desperate for support. Get a vacation at a spa for a fraction of the usual price, meet the celebrity you love or get your hair done at an exclusive salon you could never otherwise afford. The proceeds all go to charity.

Skincare brand Ling has supported several charities in the past, such as building houses in both Vietnam and Louisiana. Both are ongoing efforts, though their primary charity project now is with Charity: Water, where proceeds from sales have already helped to build four wells in Africa. Every time you buy from Ling, you are helping them to continue supporting humanitarian aid in all three regions.

Beverly Hills based Young Essential Skincare (Y.E.S.) has dedicated themselves to two different non-profits. The first is the Wounded Warrior Project, which gives money to the care of those who served our country and were injured in the process. The second is to Angel Face Retreats, which supports the treatment of face disfiguring scars caused by fire. According to genf20plus.com, Wounded Warriors is funded through books sales, which Angel Face is funded through product sales.

Everyone deserves the chance for success, and the ability to feel confident in their own appearance. Project Lipstick travels to women's shelters across the US and gives them full makeovers. Not only does this improve their self esteem during a time they most need it, but it assists them in finding job opportunities. They also provide various clothing drives, which can be found through their website.

Do you know of any beauty-related charities that you would like to share with us? Let us know in the comments.

Charitable giving in the form of cash and property donations is a favorite pastime of people living in first world countries, with millions of offerings being made each year to thousands of foundations representing different causes. For those who are covered by a life insurance policy, the ability to give to worthy causes extends even after death thanks to the many ways that charitable foundations can become a partial beneficiary of an insurance policy.

If you’d like your passing to be marked by bringing a smile to the face of someone else in need, read on to learn more about using life insurance for charitable giving:

1. Policy Donations

Because it also has the ability to reduce the taxable estate of the donor, a policy donation is one of the most popular choices when it comes to charitable giving via life insurance. A policy donation also offers the benefit of yielding a current income tax deduction of the policy’s fair market value, often providing a significant savings for the donor’s estate.

From the charity’s point of view, a policy donation is the most beneficial. The charitable recipient will receive the entire face value of the the policy when the donor passes away, with the premiums paid by the donor representing only a very small fraction of the total amount received; any premiums paid after the date of the gift are also deductible.

Finally, because charitable foundations have no ceiling when it comes to estate tax, there is also no ceiling on the size of a donated policy.

2. Naming a Charity as a Beneficiary

If you’re looking for a quick and simple method of leaving a piece of your life insurance policy to a charitable foundation, consider naming a charity of your choosing as a single beneficiary of your policy. While easier to set up, this form of giving does not offer the tax benefits available with policy donations and the donor’s estate is reduced by the amount of the death benefit.

An additional benefit of naming a charity as a beneficiary is that your donation will remain completely anonymous, a useful feature when keeping the details of your estate and policy private is important to you.

3. Gifting Policy Dividends

While gifting the dividends of your life insurance policy cannot offer the same potential windfall to the charity as can using the methods above, it is possible to easily setup your policy to direct the dividends paid to your life insurance policy directly to a charity. This method requires no additional monetary outlay from the donating party, making it particularly useful to corporate entities looking to reduce taxes while giving back to their communities.

4. Charitable Giving Riders

An option only presented in modern life insurance policies over the past few years, charitable giving riders offer a simple way for a policyholder to leave the additional payout of their policy to charity. This type of rider can be attached to any life insurance policy with a face value of $1 million or more, paying out an additional 1-2.5 percent of that value to a charity of your choice.

Typically offered by life insurance companies at no extra cost and not affecting the premium or cash value of the death benefit to the beneficiaries, a charitable giving rider is quickly becoming one of the most popular options for giving to charity through life insurance policies.

Conclusion

Charitable giving is a wonderful act of kindness, no matter the platform used to deliver it, and the increasingly easy to implement options offered by insurance companies are making it more and more simple for anyone to leave a positive legacy associated with their estate. With the number of options available and the potential impact on the value of the policy used minimal or even non-existent, every life insurance policyholder can consider allowing a charity to benefit from their estate.

You are pretty lucky even though you might not think so. Because you were born in a developed country you had everything easy. I know it can seem tough sometimes, but it's really not. You have access to education which guarantees you a good future if you want it. There are medical institutions where you will receive good care. You have a roof over your head to keep you sheltered from harsh conditions. And you have a better chance than anyone of surviving into old age.

Some people are not so lucky. They don't have those luxuries that you class as basics. Have you ever thought about giving something back? And I don't mean giving $10 every month to some charity. I mean getting in the thick of it and sharing your love. There are plenty of places around the world where you can volunteer your time to people who really need it. To kids that might not have anyone who truly loves them. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in then have a look below at some options you have available to you.

Haiti

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years you would have heard about the devastating earthquake that tore the country apart. Whole families were wiped out, and children are now left without parents. The country has not had much luck with anything in recent years apart from the kind men and women who come down to give anything they can. If you look around there are plenty of places looking for hands-on help and they'd be lucky to have you if you're willing to give it a shot.

Africa

Africa has had problems for the longest time. There are still millions of people who don't have access to fresh running water. Children have lost their parents to aids and malaria. They are so thin because there isn't enough food to feed them. All these people need your help. Why don't you go across and teach them about sex education so they will be safe from aids. Or help dig wells so the have access to something as simple as water. The kind of water that doesn't mean they are risking their life every time they have a drink. Again, there are plenty of opportunities available for any length of time you have to offer.

Cambodia

The country remains very poor. People are fighting to survive. Because Thailand is much more known than Cambodia it seems like that's where all the volunteers go to help out. Even though they need just as much help as Thailand they are missing out. Women are kidnapped and sent away to be sex slaves. Children are still abused from the people who should be looking out for them. You can provide the adults with simple education so they may find work in the tourist industry, or teach children so they have a chance at a good future. There is plenty of places that need you.

Nepal

Nepal is the easiest country to volunteer on the list. Although there are plenty of organizations you could probably jump on a plane and have something available the moment you land. You could volunteer at an orphanage where you will be looking after hundreds of children that don't have anyone else. Again you could teach English or anything else with the experience you possess. There are over 10 orphanages around the capital alone, plus there are more than two dozen children's resource centers that deal with their welfare. After you have finished there are plenty of attractions you can see around the country before you go home.

John McKenzie is a Toronto based travel enthusiast. He recommends the service of VS Travels for those who wish to seek excellent new year vacation deals.

Tips For Giving Charity When You Are Facing Tough Times

When many people think about giving to charities, they tend to think that they need to have money in order to help. The good news is, it doesn't take much money to help out a great cause and even if you do not have a single penny to spare, there are still ways you can do your part. Today we are going to discuss a few of the easiest ways you can go about giving back even if you are in a tough spot yourself.

Spread the Word

Is there a charity that you feel strongly about but you do not have the means to give your money or time? Even simply spreading the word makes the world of a difference. With so many charities out there, a lot of the times people do not realize just how simple it is to donate or where they should donate or even how they should go about donating. Using your social networking sites as a way to advertise a specific cause can make a dramatic affect on the successfulness of a charity. The more friends or followers you have, the better. Word spreads fast on the internet.

If you have the drive and the ability, you may want to create your very own blog or website revolved around this charity or charity-related topics in general. You can write articles, post photos and share inspirational stories about ways you have given back or what charities you like the most. Even if you have never made a website or blog before there are many free options out there that do much of the work for you. You may want to check out Webs and Wordpress as places to get started. Both are extremely simple and reliable options.

Facebook Fan Pages are another unique option. This allows you a special place separate from your own Facebook Page where you can focus solely on charity-related topics. If you have your own business, you can start collecting donations for the charity of your choosing. This is a great way to give people simple and easy access to the causes that tug at their hearts the most.

Donate Your Time

If you aren't able to give money but still want to help out a charity in a personal way, you may want to consider physically going to the charity location and asking what you can do to help out. Whether they need help filing paperwork, keeping track of finances, organizing food and clothing items for the needy or cleaning up; there is always a need for some form of help. Simply contact local charities and see what you can do. It feels great to do something out of the kindness of your heart and you are bound to learn some amazing life lessons along the way as well as meet people you are never going to forget; whether it be those who you are helping or the people you are working towards a cause with.

Have you ever considered giving back in your workplace? Many companies have the 'use it or lose it' rule when it comes to vacation time but will allow you to donate your vacation time to those who need it. Maybe your coworker has a sick family member and needs some time off to sort things out or they are struggling to find a new babysitter and are having a hard time keeping up. Giving someone else your unused vacation time is a great way to give back. For those of you who enjoy your job, you aren’t going to mind being at the office those additional hours. Plus, you can feel great knowing you gave your time to someone who truly needed it and appreciated your gesture.

Give Items You No Longer Need

If time and money aren't something you have readily available, you can always give personal items that you no longer need. Maybe you have clothing items that have been in storage for years or toys that your kids have grown out of. Donating these items to people who are less fortunate can drastically change their life. You get to clean out your home and feel good knowing that your donations are going to great use.

Maybe you have some extra canned food in your home that your family isn't going to get around to eating. Instead of letting the food go bad or gather dust in your cupboards, you might as well give it to people who desperately need food for their next meal. A surprisingly high number of people every single year are going hungry and not getting the proper nutrition.

Have you ever considered donating your hair or blood? Blood and hair are always in high demand. You may be able to help someone who was in a car accident and needs a blood transplant or a patient suffering from cancer who needs a new wig so they can continue living their life with a head full of hair.

Other Things You Can Donate

Maybe you've donated all the items in your home that you no longer need, but you still want to find new ways to give back. If you enjoy sewing or crocheting, you could make blankets for those in need. There are a surprisingly high number of people around the world who do not have the proper protection from the elements. Get creative with it. Contact local charities and ask them what types of items they are in most need of.

Ever heard of those local events where a large number of people come together and 'race for the cure' or walk for a certain cause? A lot of the time such events have a small fee to join or are completely free to participants. If you have a day off of work, why not do something that is going to help others instead of sitting on the couch and watching movies? Not only is it great exercise for you but you can also meet amazing people along the way. Bring your family and friends and it can become an event you will remember for the rest of your life.

Every Little Bit Counts

When it comes to giving back, keep in mind that every little bit counts. It doesn't matter if you can only afford to give a dollar or if you can only donate your time once a month. If you are passionate about helping out those in need, there are always ways to do so. Even if you are bedridden or handicapped, there are things that can be done. It doesn't matter where you live, what your income looks like, your sexual orientation, the color of your skin; any of that. Giving back is giving back, plain and simple. Never become frustrated because you 'cannot give as much as you'd like'. Trust us, the people and/or animals you are helping do not care how much or how little you can give; they are getting the benefits of loving and caring people such as yourself who take the time to give, even if they may be struggling themselves.

Not Sure What You Can Do In Your Area?

If you still aren't sure how you want to give back, contact local businesses that you enjoy such as that veterinary clinic down the road or that food bank and ask them for tips on how to give back. There are a lot of companies in need of help that do not have the money required to have proper advertisement. You may be able to give back by doing things you already do on a regular basis such as shop at certain stores or use a debit or credit card that gives a percentage to specific charities.

The above guest post is written by Jessy Law who is part of the team at Third Sector Jobs. The Third sector jobs, world leading charity recruitment company to get you right charity jobs easily.

Charities need fundraisers for a variety of reasons. A fundraising event is one of the most important ways to create attention for a charity, and can also help to generate engagement with a local community. Moreover, charity fundraisers help to enlist new people for Charity Jobs, as well as developing links with local businesses. Moreover, charity fundraisers can help to create specific fundraising drives, as well as establishing long term targets for an organisation to hit. The importance of fundraisers for charities is expanded on below:

1 - Attention

A major event, or even a smaller local one, will create a lot of attention for a charity. If properly marketed, an event can help to bring attention to the work of the charity, and will create a lasting profile, even if people do not initially donate. Local events are particularly useful for smaller charities that don’t have the marketing budget of larger organisations. A few memorable events can become a tradition for the charity, and will help to support a range of other mail outs and fundraising drives.

2 - Local Engagement

A well organised fundraising event represents an excellent way to engage with a local community. An event that involves that community will also help to build an identity for a charity within the area, and can encourage people to use that charity as a future partner for their own fundraising events. Getting a charity involved in local schools and businesses is similarly important for raising awareness, and for increasing the potential for future collaborations.

3 - Enlist New People

A well attended fundraising event can bring in a number of volunteers. These volunteers might then decide to stay on at the charity in a voluntary or a future professional role. Having an event at a school, college or university can also help to build loyalty to a charity at a young age, and can spin off a number of individual fundraising activities.

4 - Specific Fundraising Drives

A special event can work to bring attention to a specific cause. The focus of an event can therefore make it easier to demonstrate where the money is going to be used, and how individual donations will contribute to that effort. In this context, it is important for an event to be tailored to a specific cause, from a walk to raise funds to tackle breast cancer, through to a charity music night set up to help cancer sufferers. Although a direct identification does not have to be necessarily made, the event can be made more memorable by using badges and logos that identify the particular cause and who it will be helping.

5 - Sets a Standard to Hit

Successful fundraising events ultimately establish a standard by which a charity can be measured. In many cases, a public fundraising event can be years in development, and can provide a charity with a much larger amount of income than everyday fundraising. Being able to assess and meet these targets consequently means being able to work out an annual schedule for major events that can push fundraising targets over a certain limit.

Top 6 sunglasses brands which donate to charity

Clear vision is often something we take for granted due to our easy access to medication, prescription eyewear and professional treatment, but for some people, good eyesight can be considered an unaffordable luxury. Almost one billion people in the world have no access to glasses, meaning that many people are unable to read, learn, study and carry out their daily activities as effectively as they would if they were provided with a sufficient prescription. When you buy one of these pairs of sunglasses, you not only protect your eyes from the damaging sun’s rays with 100% UV protection, but you also contribute to a good cause, potentially restoring the sight of someone in need.

Here are 6 of the most humanitarian brands, offering unique and fashionable eyewear.

1. Tommy Hilfiger. Despite being a well-known designer brand, Tommy Hilfiger is down-to-earth when it comes to charity. The sunglasses ‘promise collection’ benefits people in Ruhira in Uganda by providing free eye check-ups and corrective lenses to those who need them. These frames showcase African styling with colourful, tribal-inspired prints on the sunglasses arms.

2. Westward Leaning sunglasses appear to be just average, stylish frames. However, on the arms of each pair is an inlaid coloured panel celebrating a different social cause. The glasses all feature a black, wayfarer style frame with an attractive arm plaque. The designs range from the ‘Children of California’ subtle wooden square ($10 to ‘Teach for America’ for every pair sold), to rainbow ribbon threaded through the arm in support of gay rights organisations. In addition, every pair sold raises $10 for non profit charities such as Love Thy Neighbor Mexico. This charity seeks to raise awareness about the link between the high drugs demand in the US with the drug wars in Mexico, using the unconventional tools of social media and art installations.

3. TOMS sunglasses range marks part of the brand’s charity campaign, ‘Summer of Sight’ in which they aim to help restore the sight of 100,000 people around the world. For every pair purchased, TOMS will provide essential medical treatment, prescription glasses or surgery needed to restore vision. The glasses appear to be regular sunglasses with a dark, wayfarer frame, but buying a pair of these will help someone in need.

4. WarbyParker promises to donate one pair of prescription glasses to someone in the developing world for every pair bought. The prescription glasses donated are tailored to the needs of the local communities and can help provide the dignity, independence and confidence of clear vision. The sunglasses range is stylish and cool, with an emphasis on bold frames in tortoiseshell, red, and other bright colours, forming part of a popular brand that promised to do good in the world.

5. Solo is a San Diego glasses range which is dedicated to a charitable cause. For every pair sold, Solo promises to donate a pair of prescription glasses to someone in need and to fund part of an eye surgery for two people. The glasses are cool and innovative, featuring dark bamboo arms and bright plastic lens frames, for a quirky contrast. And with one simple purchase, every customer can help save the sight of someone in need.

6. Proof focuses on creating unique aviator-style frames, whilst supporting a charitable cause. For every pair sold, Proof promises to help those who cannot afford the treatment they need in India, by providing sight-saving cataract surgeries. When choosing your pair of sunglasses, you are even given the option of creating different combinations of wood shade, stain, lens colour and frame shape.

So if you’re feeling charitable, consider investing in a pair of super stylish, innovative frames, whilst benefiting those in need. You can wear a unique pair of frames; whilst someone across the globe can regain their sight... it’s a win-win situation.

Cycling is an excellent way to get a really good workout and do great things for your body while being outside and enjoying the scenery around you and all of the amazing fresh air. Burning approximately 400 calories in an hour, there really is no better workout, and biking is a great way to explore your surroundings as well.

There are an abundance of charities and groups that are using cycling and its enthusiasts as a way to raise money and awareness for their respective causes. By giving their participants ample motivation and cashing in on their philanthropic desires, they combine physical challenge and service opportunities, making a healthy and worthwhile combination for all who chose to partake of the experience.

Here is a look at 7 of the most popular rides hosted for a good cause:

American Lung Association

The Big Ride across America is a seven week, cross country bike ride hosted by the American Lung Association of the Mountain Pacific Region. This non-profit organization requires riders to raise a minimum of $6,000 and also charges them a $150 registration fee. Once the cyclists are registered, they gear up to make the cross country trip from Seattle, Washington to Washington D.C. Over the course of the seven weeks, riders travel approximately 3,300 miles from beginning to end.

Parkinson’s Disease

This ride hosted in Maine annually, was started by a man named Chris Woods after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. This ride is particularly interesting because studies have shown that tandem bike riding can actually help to ease the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. The ride offers a variety of mileage options, allowing for any level of cyclist to participate. Participants must raise an minimum of $100 to participate and all proceeds go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

The American Diabetes Foundation

The American Diabetes Foundation is perhaps one of the foundations with the greatest amount of rides being hosted for its cause, these are individually as a Tour de Cure. There are annual rides in 43 states that allow for riders at any skill level to participate and help raise money and awareness for the foundation. It is essential to raise awareness for this cause as diabetes is a disease that affects people of all ages and it can be prevented in a lot of cases. These rides have hundreds of participants each and most of those participating either suffer from diabetes themselves or know someone who does.

Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation

The Livestrong Challenge is an annual event held one day a year in San Francisco, Philadelphia and Austin, Texas to raise money for cancer research. There are varying distances offered for riders to accommodate any skill level. All participants must raise a minimum of $250 and pay a registration fee of $50. Austin hosts a special event called the Ride for Roses which allows any of the cyclists who raise over $10,000 to participate and at the finish line all of the cancer survivors are presented with a yellow rose.

Arthritis Foundation

The Amgen California Coast Classic is a weeklong bike ride hosted by the Arthritis Foundation to help promote awareness for their cause. The ride is for cyclist of all strengths and is promoted as a week for these bikers to celebrate the sport while getting to know one another and enjoying the great outdoors. The route for the ride is from San Francisco to Los Angeles annually and many of the bikers that participate in the ride end up enjoying themselves and having such a great time that they return year after year to participate and help a great cause.

Multiple Sclerosis

If you are interested in biking for this cause, you should look up all the possible events being hosted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Annually they host a wide variety of events nationwide in order to raise money for their foundation. Their particular events are a great option for anyone looking to bike for good because they put together events that cater to cyclist at all skill levels. Depending on your location, you may have the opportunity to participate in half day, day or multiple day trips, whatever suits your personal level of comfortability.

San Diego Center for the Blind

The San Diego Center for the Blind hosts the annual Cycling for Sight, which is a 200 mile ride through southern California that benefits the Center for the Blind. What makes this ride particularly emotional is that there are a great number of tandem bikes that participate in the ride and those bikes generally have a blind person in back and a seeing person leading from the front. Participants are required to raise a minimum of between $100 and $1600.

Hillary Rose is a writer and bicyclist. She works with Racor to find storage solutions for bicycles. When not working you can find her out on the road with her weekly cycling crew.

Charitable giving, like most other things in our modern world, has become a highly complicated and often difficult endeavor given the vast number of organizations and causes vying for your dollar. While simply picking and choosing between them can often lead to regrettable contributions, narrowing your focus to causes and situations that work for you will help you to be sure that your charitable donations are contributing to the best possible cause.

If you're looking to combine sunny fun with thoughtful giving this during the warm months to come, check out these five charity ideas for this summer:

If you're planning a summer vacation that will see you travel abroad, one excellent way to give while saving is to book your hotel with CheapHotels.org. Besides offering some of the lowest hotel rates in the world for a wide variety of locales around the globe, CheapHotels.org automatically donates 1% of each and every booking to OrphanAid Africa, an organization that helps disenfranchised children in Ghana to grow up in safe, secure and loving environments with a focus on education and family stability.

Save money and donate to a worthy cause at the same time - now that's an excellent way to start your summer!

2. Become a Summer Fundraiser

The warm months of summer open up endless opportunities for outdoor fun, making it the best time of year to organize a fundraising event in your own community! Whether you opt for a bike-a-thon, a car wash or a bake sale, heading the effort to raise funds for a worthy cause, whether a local or international one, allows you to offer a helping hand to others while enjoying a fulfilling time yourself.

The Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms organization connects organic farms around the world with people looking to stay and work temporarily to the benefit of all, presenting any able bodied wanderer with a unique way to enjoy a summer vacation! Learn about permaculture and agricultural stability while developing the skills required to grow food, all in a foreign land that offers exposure to exciting cultures and ways of life and helping to further the cause of sustainable growing in the process.

4. Clean House and Help the Needy

There is no better time than summer to take stock of your belongings and reorganize your material life, offering up the items you no longer need to those less fortunate as you go. Whether you choose to donate via a Goodwill foundation or in person, you can take pride and pleasure in the mutual benefit that cleaning house offers!

If you've got some free time on your hands this summer, consider becoming a local volunteer in order to gain valuable experience while lending a helping hand to those around you. With national volunteer databases available to people in most countries, choosing a volunteer opportunity that suits your skills and desires is a breeze, ensuring that you are able to bring your very best to the table each and every day.

Conclusion

Whether you've got free time to kill or a deep, residing passion for helping others, using the time that summer frees up for many of us towards charitable causes is a fantastic way to grow as people, both in skills and life experience, brightening the lives of others along the way. Given the easy availability of opportunities both local and abroad via the internet, becoming involved with a cause that suits your abilities is a cinch once you narrow your focus, leading you to new opportunities and memorable moments that will last a lifetime!